Minutes 10/08/2024 - Laserfiche WebLink

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October 8, 2024 Discussion:  The Office of Executive Secretary at the Supreme Court of Virginia awarded $167,000 to the Portsmouth Department of Behavioral Healthcare Services. These funds will be utilized to provide recovery-oriented substance use services in lieu of incarceration for Portsmouth residents who have committed non-violent offenses tied to drug use. Financial Impact:  A local match in the amount of $55,715 is required as a condition of the funding, which match has previously been appropriated in the FY 2025 Behavioral Healthcare Service Fund Budget. Recommended Action:  Adoption of the ordinance. Next Steps Following Council Action:  The Finance Department will make the necessary budget adjustments. Motion by Ms. Lucas-Burke, and seconded by Mr. Tillage, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: “ORDINANCE ACCEPTING ADULT RECOVERY COURT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $167,000 FROM THE OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AT THE SUPREME COURT OF VIRGINIA AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT IN THE FY 2025 BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SERVICE FUND FOR USE FOR THE PORTSMOUTH ADULT RECOVERY COURT. ” Ayes: Barnes, Hugel, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Tillage, Whitaker, Glover Nays: None 24 - 297 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting settlement funds in the amount of $80,303.78 from the McKinsey Subdivision opioid settlement and appropriating said amount in the FY 2025 Behavioral Healthcare Service Fund for use by BHS for approved abatement purposes as defined by the Virginia Opioid Fund and Settlement Allocation MOU. Background:  The City of Portsmouth was one of several Virginia localities to file suit against entities engaged in the manufacture, marketing, promotion, distribution, and dispensing of opioids.  In 2021 the Commonwealth of Virginia reached a global settlement of claims against many of the opioid entities on behalf of itself and its participating localities, including Portsmouth. The settlement provided for payment of approximately $608,000,000 to the Commonwealth (the “Settlement Funds”) over an 18-year period.  In order to participate in the Commonwealth’s settlement and receive distributions of a portion of the Settlement Funds, Portsmouth released its claims and entered into a Virginia Opioid Abatement Fund and Settlement Allocation Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth and other localities (the “Settlement MOU”).  City Council approved the Settlement MOU by Resolution R-21-24 adopted on August 10, 2021. Discussion:  Under the terms of the Settlement MOU, the City will receive regular disbursements of a portion of the Settlement Funds received by the Commonwealth.  In August of 2022, the City received a disbursement of Settlement Funds in the amount of $78,765.20, which was accepted and appropriated through City Council ordinance 2022-80 adopted on September 13, 2022.  In October of 2022, the City received an additional disbursement of Settlement Funds in the amount of $82,778.38, which was accepted and appropriated through City Council ordinance 2022-93 adopted on October 25, 2022.